All In

All In

January 11, 2016

Deuteronomy 4:29  " But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and all your soul."

With all the media attention lately regarding a record lottery winnings potential, it is apropos to discuss.  While I do not play the lottery, it is tempting to day dream about the winnings, over a billion dollars.  My mind cannot fathom that much money at my disposal.  I was doing some math, however, and did calculate the taxes owed to the respective government agencies and that amount, too, is unfathomable.  Half of the winnings is lost to a lump sum payment if you want the money up front and more than half of what is left over is due for taxes.  Quickly, the amount of money remaining is a dizzying level compared to the initial jackpot.  The discussions people have regarding this scenario have them frustrated with their imaginary, unearned money.  Naturally, they want it all.  Emotionally, they are all in, as they expect something that is statistically not probable to happen.  But all in, they are, nonetheless, wanting something that will result in nothing.

I wish people were like this in their relationship with the Lord.  I wish they expected everything out of the Lord they could possibly have, every last drop.  If they did, it would change their emotional landscape and how much they invest in their relationship with Him.  But, people don't have enough faith to live that way. They are satisfied with just a little from the Lord and consequently put that same amount of little effort into the relationship.  Ironically, people have more to gain from the Lord than any lottery could offer.  And, statistically speaking, we are more likely to get every last bit from the Lord as compared to winning the lottery.  To get every last bit the Lord has for you, you must be all in.  It is a full commitment into Him and the winnings are limitless.  He offers: peace, fulfillment, joy, security, forgiveness, and eternity with Himself.  What a jackpot!

But to get that jackpot, the whole jackpot, you have to have the whole of you committed.  It takes ALL to get ALL.  Whatever level you want, you can have of Him.  If you want a little peace, you can have a little.  But why in the world would you just want a little peace?  It's like winning the lottery and telling the issuing authorities to keep the money, because you only want enough to buy dinner for the night.  How absurd.  This is exactly what we do with the Lord.  We limit the life of abundance because we limit our commitment to Him.  Because of this, the Lord limits us, sometimes even tests us.  If you doubt this, He tested the Israelites.  He wanted to see if they were actually serving Him wholeheartedly.  If the Lord put you through the test, would you pass?  Would you be found to be all in, fully committed?

There are days I would not pass that test, consequently I have left blessings on the table.  I doubt I have received everything in this life the Lord had intended for me.  I essentially told the Lord to withhold His blessing by my actions.  You've done that, too, whether you want to admit it or not.  The Lord has something for you, an abundance to meet that specific need, only you're actions, or lack thereof, are keeping you from receiving them.  You aren't quite all in today.  And if you are all in, without receiving what you need, then maybe He is testing to see if you'll still serve Him wholeheartedly.  Start day dreaming about the life you can have if you invest fully in the Lord.

Don't take my word for it; look it up: Deut 10:12, Deut 13:3, Deut 15:10, Deut 30:1, Josh 23:14, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Matt 22:37, Mark 12:33, John 10:10

Do It Better

Do It Better

January 4, 2016
Romans 3:23  ". . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God . . ."

Happy New Year!  Most people believe the start of a new year can be the start of something fresh, a new chapter, good things to come.  And it can certainly mean that if it is what the Lord desires.  The turn of a new year is often a time when we like to make resolutions, intentions to do something with vigor.  If the new year is a time for you to do that, then you certainly should.  Good habits are worth the effort and the start of a new year can be just the place to begin.  You may be the opposite kind of person at the new year, realizing resolutions are easily broken by the majority of individuals.  There is nothing in Scripture requiring you to make a New Year's Resolution.

But I do have a suggestion.  Whether you make a resolution or not, whether you try something new or you pick up something you set down a long time ago, you should do life better.  Picking up a new habit is great, but how about the things with no Heavenly value you need to lay down?  How about getting back to what the Lord has for your life.  Whether it is the start of a new year or the start of a new morning, the Lord desires that you align yourself daily with His plan for your life.  I'm not suggesting you've left the path completely, but I am suggesting you've probably missed the mark more often than not.  The Lord's design for your life has not changed, it has always been the same since the day you were born.  Your life, your current state of being, may agree with that or it might not.  Does your life look completely as the Lord intended or does it look a little more messy?  As you do life, are you doing it as the Lord wants?

If you saw a picture, a final drawing of what the Lord desired for your life, would it resemble your life today.  The Holy Spirit is pricking your heart right now, this very moment, affirming in your spirit what He'd like for you to change, how He'd like it better.  This isn't to punish you but to give you the life He intended for you.  Doing it better means He can use you for His glory even more.  Doing it better means you can receive His full blessings on this earth.  Doing it better means less heart ache than you experienced last year.  Doing it better means your reward in Heaven will be larger and your time on this earth will be far less stressful.

As I read and re-read Scripture, I notice the lives of those who did amazing things for the Lord.  I also noticed where they missed the mark while going about their lives, how that impacted things so much, the ripple effect into everything.  While they were used for His glory, they certainly could have done life better, if anything avoided so much heart ache.  The Lord's grace was there for them and it is there for you, though grace for your shortcomings should not be your permanent crutch.  Do life, that is for sure, but this should be your resolution: do life better, as God intended for you.  You know where you've missed the mark and He's asking you, telling you, to re-align your life perfectly with the original path He had for you.  This isn't limited to your current spiritual walk but your hobbies and activities, your marriage, and even your career.  Re-evaluate everything and figure out where you can do life better.

Don't take my word for it; look it up: Ps 139:16, Matt 3:10, Matt 24:45-47, Rom 3:21-24, James 4:17 

More Room

More Room

December 28, 2015
Luke 2:7  ". . .She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them."

Having just come away from celebrating Christmas, I will ask you a question.  Did you make room this Christmas for Him?  Did you make a concerted effort to include Christ in the majority or all of your Christmas plans and celebrations?  While you might be quick to answer in the affirmative, did you truly make enough room for Jesus or could you have done better.  The Innkeeper, the character in the story of the birth of Jesus, did not have enough room, hence the need for the stable and manger.  Sure he might not have been expecting the birth of a king, and if he was expecting Him then he would have made SURE to have enough space.  But the Innkeeper wasn't looking out for His Savior and therefore did not have enough room.  I will ask you the question again, in consideration of the Innkeeper.  Did you prepare enough room, in advance, in excitement of your King?

If you read the birth story of Jesus between the different gospels you get a full and vivid picture of the characters involved.  Without me hashing it from the beginning, you'll recall the many characters: angels, wise men, shepherd, the keeper of the inn, Mary, Joseph, the witnessing animals.  This list includes likely and unlikely characters and I would suggest you parallel yourself with one of these characters.  Which one most described you this Christmas.  Were you a shocked shepherd?  Were you a seeking wise man?  Were you a busy inn keeper?  Were you a by-standing animal?  Were you a patient and diligent Joseph?  Were you a willing Mary?  Maybe you were a messenger angel.  All the characters played a unique role in the story of Christmas and I'm sure you were like more than one or two of them at times.  Which character did you attempt to be like this Christmas?  I would suggest we all fell a little short of truly honoring the birth of Christ.

This gives you an opportunity for reflection and determination.  Evaluate your actions over this most recent celebratory season of the birth of our Savior and determine how you want to live your life going forward.  Me, personally, I fall into the busy keeper of the inn role.  This is not one role I am proud of but life gets busy and my life tends to get filled up.  I don't intentionally fill up my rooms, but I also don't purposely set a side a place for Him in every area.  This gives me, and you, an opportunity to do better in every facet.  We can determine which character we'd like to be like, who we want to be.  I know who I want to be but life gets in my way.  What gets in the way of who you want to be?  Don't lie to yourself, because there is something that keeps you from being that person.  Maybe you've never thought of it before; maybe you've never imagined who you should be like.  If you don't intentionally be somebody you'll accidentally be someone you don't like.

The Lord appreciates an intentional person, someone who wants to be someone in His story, this story of life.  There is room for you to be someone and you get to make more room for this opportunity.  There is more room for Him in your life.  There is more room than you realize and this is going to be huge, your expanded role.

Don't take my word for it; look it up: Matthew 1:18-24, Luke 2:1-21